Judges of High Courts in NE not entitled to special pay: Govt

NEW DELHI, December 4: The law ministry has informed the Gauhati high court that judges posted in the four high courts in the northeast are not entitled to a special monetary allowance given to officers of all-India services posted in the northeast.

The law ministry cited the Seventh Pay Commission award where a recommendation to extend the special allowance to other services was not accepted by the government.

"The proposal for grant of additional monetary incentive allowance to judges of high courts of north-eastern states has not been agreed to," the department of justice in the law ministry informed the registrar general of Gauhati HC.

Referring to a September 2015 judgment of the Supreme Court on the issue, the justice department said the matter was again referred to the department of personnel and training for its views.

"However, they have clarified that the Seventh Pay Commission has not recommended to extend (the) special allowance granted to all-India services officers to any other service and the government has accepted the recommendation," the letter, sent on November 27, said.

The judges of high courts in the north-east had demanded special allowance at the rate of 25% of their basic salary in addition to other perks as granted to officers of all-India services to motivate them for a"longer period".

The working strength of the HCs of Gauhati, Meghalaya, Manipur and Tripura is 24 judges against an approved strength of 37.(TNN)